40 Movies Everyone Needs to See

Some people have a favorite movie. Others, like myself, can’t pick just one. There are some movies that everyone needs to see at least once whether you’re a connoisseur of the big-screen or not.

One of my goals in life is to watch every Best Picture winner since the first Academy Awards in 1927. I’m a little over a quarter of the way through over 80 years of the best of film.

I compiled a list of 40 movies (in no particular order) from all genres and decades that I think are the best of the best. It was difficult to whittle the list down to a whopping 40, but not every good movie is a “must-see.” Which movies would you add to this list?

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•  "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (1998)

• "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994)

• "The Godfather" (1972)

• "Pulp Fiction" (1994)

• "Fight Club" (1999)

• "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975)

• "Goodfellas" (1990)

• "The Departed" (2006)

• "Casablanca" (1942)

• "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991)

• "Forrest Gump" (1994)

• "The Shining" (1980)

• "Back to the Future" (1985)

• "Full Metal Jacket" (1987)

• "Some Like It Hot" (1959)

• "The Sting" (1973)

• "The Big Lebowski" (1998)

• "Jaws" (1975)

• "The Wizard of Oz" (1939)

• "Scarface" (1983)

• "Good Will Hunting" (1997)

• "The Graduate" (1967)

• "Star Wars" (1977)

• "Rear Window" (1954)

• "American Graffiti" (1973)

• "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969)

• "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982)

• "Dr. Strangelove" (1964)

• "Wall Street" (1987)

• "Thelma and Louise" (1991)

• "Caddyshack" (1980)

• "Office Space" (1999)

• "The Sandlot" (1993)

• "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986)

• "American History X" (1998)

• "The Rock" (1996)

• "Blazing Saddles" (1974)

• "Animal House" (1978)

• "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984)

• "Good Morning, Vietnam" (1987) 

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Check out AFI's movie lists

'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'

The book “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” came out in February of 1999. This was the first book I could say I actually liked and read more than once. Now, it has been adapted to a movie and is set to come out Sept. 21, 2012.

The story is about a teenager going by the alias of Charlie, who is writing a series of letters to an anonymous "friend." Charlie is a shy, unconventional wallflower starting high school until he befriends a couple seniors who introduce him to life.

Stephen Chbosky who wrote “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” also wrote the screenplay and directed the film adaptation. This gives me some hope that the movie will do the book justice, but I still won’t be seeing it.

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I feel seeing Chbosky’s interpretation of the characters will ruin the connection I have with the first book I liked when I was 11 years old. Emma Watson, Ezra Miller and Paul Rudd aren’t even close to how I picture Sam, Patrick or Bill.

My other favorite book, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” was also made into a movie. But it follows the book line for line and is a perfect representation bringing the book to life. Johnny Depp plays Raoul Duke perfectly and you can’t imagine it any other way.

English teacher April Milow said, “As an educator of young students, I am torn about books being made into movies. Very few movies based on books have lived up to the same quality experience that individuals get from reading and by using your imagination, visualizing, and predicting.”

Milow was extremely disappointed when one of her favorite books, “The Lovely Bones” was transformed for the big-screen. The different levels of heaven were omitted, which is a key part illustrated by the book.

Charlie’s mix tapes are a central element of “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” It's impossible for all of these songs to be included due to cost. Modern tracks to fill in the gaps won't fit.

Charlie's Mix Tape Infographic by Kelly Sterner

“The author chose those songs for a reason,” said college senior Kelly Campbell. “This issue is particularly important to me because I have a soundtrack to my own life, and I choose those particular songs because they fit a mood or time well.”

Books to movies are a hit or miss. Most of the time people don’t even realize a movie was based off of a book unless it’s a high profile publication like the “Bourne” series or “Harry Potter,” just like a lot of people aren’t aware they are seeing a remake.

I’m sure this movie will create a slew of bandwagon fans. There’s nothing I despise more than bandwagon fans. Being a Colorado Rockies fan since birth, I know a lot about the old bandwagon.

It will be an interesting mix of 20-somethings who read the book when it came out, and teenyboppers who don’t know there is a book, when “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” hits theaters. Sadly, people probably won’t read the book now that there’s a movie.

Infographic by Kelly Sterner

A lot of things can go haywire when a book is adapted to film. This book has some of the best quotes I have ever read and I hope they are preserved. I wish “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” the best of luck and I hope it stays true to the original.

Why, Soitanly… Not

The Three Stooges are being brought back for a new generation. Film lovers aren’t thrilled about the classic slapstick trio being brought back because it’s only in name. Only the film makers and people who don’t know The Stooges will be filling movie seats for this disaster.

The premise of the new “The Three Stooges” is that Larry, Moe and Curly are trying to save their childhood orphanage, but accidentally stumble into a murder plot and wind up starring in a reality TV show.

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Why is the cast of “Jersey Shore” being mixed with The Stooges? The orange crew may be a joke, but being a joke and being comedic are two different things. F-list celebrities shouldn't comingle with the spirit of A-list comedy.

According to Kofi Outlaw from Screen Rant, at one time Sean Penn was going to play Larry, Benicio Del Toro would play Moe, and Jim Carrey would play Curly. This might have been a good combination. But, for one reason or another, each of them bowed out.

The Stooges are who the original Larry, Moe and Curly were. They didn’t dabble in theater, sitcoms, or play a variety of roles from drama to chick-flicks. They did slapstick sketch comedy and no one did it better. The Three Stooges even have their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They are comedy legends.

What they built should be preserved, not re-packaged. Comedy doesn’t exist in the same way which makes this movie feel out of place and forced. Dumb and Dumber were the closest thing to The Stooges of our time, and that's pretty far-fetched.

Any attempt at recreating what Larry, Moe and Curly did will end in an insult to The Stooges. You can’t do it better, so why do it at all? I wish Hollywood wise guys would learn that you just don’t mess with a good thing.

‘Titanic’ 3-D

The 1997 Best Picture winner is making its triumphant return to theaters in 3-D on April 4, just in time for the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s tragic evening. Whether you love it, hate it, or secretly love it but keep it to yourself, no one can deny how good “Titanic” really is.

For some, it seems to be the song that turns them off. You’re not alone. According to Yahoo!, hearing “My Heart Will Go On” even triggers Kate Winslet’s gag reflex. A song featured in the credits is no reason to dismiss the entire movie. I decided to share a few interesting facts about the movie from TitanicUniverse and IMDB to remind people why “Titanic” deserves all of its praise.

• James Cameron actually went to the Titanic wreck and filmed using underwater cameras. He ended up spending more time with the ship than its living passengers did.

• Most of the decor was constructed by the companies who did the construction for the actual Titanic.

• "Titanic" was the first movie to have a budget of $200,000,000 and is the most expensive movie to be filmed in the 20th century.

• "Titanic" was the highest grossing film ($1,843,201,268 worldwide) until James Cameron released "Avatar."

• When Rose meets Jack on the Grand Staircase at the end, the time on the clock is the same time the ship sank.

• Harland and Wolff, the Belfast shipyard who built the Titanic in 1909, opened up their private archives to the production, sharing blueprints that were long thought lost.

• Kate Winslet says Jack 80 times. Not even rivaling how many times Al Pacino says his favorite four-letter-word in “Scarface,” which is a whopping 226 times.

• 300 computer artists spent 750,000 man hours to give "Titanic" a third dimension, according to ABC News.

With the new trend of bringing back old favorites to theaters in 3-D, it got me thinking of other movies I’d like to see make a high-tech comeback. After we see “Titanic,” how amazing would it be to see “Jaws” or “The shining” with a pair of 3-D glasses?